National Republican., 1887-03-07
TEE SACRAMENTAL SABBATH
REV. DIR. TALMAGE DIsCOURsEs ON ITS
INSTITUTION.
He Thinks 1t More Impressive, Holier,
Cal mer, More Tender, and More
Cbastened Than Any Other Sabbath.

BROOKLYN, Mar. 6.-This is sacramental day
in the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and the sermon
is preached at the reception of three hundred
and torty.seven new members, making six
hundred and ninety received during the pres
ent revival, so that the communicate member
ship now Is four thousand and ffy.one. The
Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, D. D., the pastor,
gave the right hand of fellowship to the new
members, and baptized about ninety. The
audience sang:
"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love-"
There was great arch of flowers over the
pulpit, containing the words: ~ believe in the
communion Of saints" DR.. Talmage took two
texts: First Chronicles xiii, 8: "And four thou
fand praised the Lord;' and Exodus xii, H.
"This day shall be unto you for a memorial"
He said:
When, week before last. the communicate
membership of this church passed into tho
AGO, now reaching d,05l, the first part OF my
text came to my mind and bethought my
self what grand thing 1t would be If the
4,C00 of our communicate membership would,
like the 1000 of the ancient temple make 1t
their lifetime business to praise the Lord.
q. Let them all take harp and timbrel, and an
them and doxology
over. which commemoraled the delverance of
the children of Israel on the night when tho
destroying angel sped through the land Of
Egypt, destroying the enemy, but saving the
lsraelites, because on tho door-posts of their
dwellings, was sprinkled the blood OF a lamb.
To-day. we come to celebrate grander Pass
over, all peril going away from our soul at the
sight of the sprinkled blood Of the Lamb OF
God on the ooor.posts of our hearts. Christ,
our our Passover, sacrificed for u.s., Us; This day
The sacramental Sabbath, whether 1t comes
in an American church or an English chapel
beS sGSSb sk # sas1 than
sweeter; its voices more tender; Its touch Is
softer; Its memories are more chastened. The
fruits of the Christian life suddenly ripen, like
orchards on the hill fronting the south. Tho
WINE Of the holy sacrament seems pressed
from the grapes of celestial vineyards,
a om Se hand of m wSS parted S See
loaves for the five thousand. We walk to the
church of God with more thoughtful face and
with quieter step. The jubilant songs of other
Sundays are struck through with pensiyeness,
and are all a tremble with tears; and when, at
the close OF the service, at the door we shake
hands, 1t is with more cordial grasp, be:
cause we feel thrilling through our body, and
mind, and soul the great doctrines of Chris
tian brotherhood; and our minds 40 back to
in times OF persecution in Scotland among
the Highlands, commemorating the dying
love of Christ, while they were pursued OF
their enemies, pouring the wine into rough
wooden cups, dipping the waters OF baptism
from the mountain rock, until one day they
heard the voices of their enemies coming up
the shepherd, have mercy on the sheepW and
instantly there was a roaring heard as of great
Hoods, and sure enough cloud had burst,
and there were great torrents running down
the mountain side that whelmed their foes
with sudden wrath. What a dellyeranoe 1t
was for them on that sacramental day oh
that on this sacramental day the cloud of
Gods mercy might burst and our sins be
whelmed and our souls be saved. This is the
amethyst Of days. This is the pearl OF days.
This the diamond of days. This Is the
day Of days. Among the ten thousand mil
lions ages OF eternity the first Sabbath of
March, 1881 Will be to you signicant and
memorable, for this day shall bs unto youj
for ever and for ever IA memorial"
There is much in the scene of to-day to i'm
press us, because 1t is a time of re enforcement.
used to remark that II ] ever lived to see our
membership reach 1000, thought would
be willing TO say with one of old "Now, Lord
lettest thou thy servant depart In peace. for
mine eyes have seen thy salvation" But
have changed my mind, and | never so much
wanted TO stay as now, so as to see them ali
enlisted for God and to watch their vie.
tories What might they not accomplish
in the way of making the world better
II they We're all baptized with
double portion of the Holy Ghost Four thou.
sand That is four full regiments as military
men count thousand TO n regiment. think
not one hypocrite among them. Taken into
the church sometimes in large numbers, but